Sash Replacement 101

This will appear to be overly simplified but you have to realize that I have already stripped my windows and I am at the point where I am putting them back in. I will use my dining room windows for explaining this project because those are the ones described in my windows 101 posts. The windows have all been finished and completely re-glazed. The frames have been sanded and primed with Kilz but require some wood sill replacement since they were butchered back in the 1960s. They still need to be faux finished like the interior sides of the windows using aniline tinted shellac over beige paint. I am trying to get to the point where the beige paint is applied. This means that I had to replace the sash cords in both windows and rip some new blind stop on the table saw in order to get to that point. I was also missing 4 sash pulleys from one window and was able to scrounge some turn of the century (20th) pressed steel pulleys which I decided to use for the upper sashes in both windows since they would be the least visible. The original 1845 pulleys would accomodate the lower sashes of each window since they were visible upon inspection by a purist!
I scored about 100 feet of cotton braided sash cord a few years ago for $3 at an antique mall and used most of it up on the three living room windows. I didn't have enough to do both dining room windows so I decided to use cotton on the lower sashes and nylon on the upper sashes. I can always replace the nylon if I score some more braided cotton in the future which I hope to do because I need about 50 feet for the two parlor windows. You will never see the nylon unless I were to lower the upper sashes.
All my pulleys were removed stripped of paint and oiled to ensure smooth operation and NO squeaks. The access panels on each side of the windows were removed to gain access to the weight boxes and the weights. (Note. In order to access these you must remove the blind stop partition between the two sashes.) The weights were removed and wiped of 160 years of black crud, mostly on my pants (did I mention I'm really a slob?) and the old cords removed. Some of these cords were likely the original 1845 sisal twisted cord. Now, in order to thread a new cord .... oh crap! Is that the time? Sorry folks you will have to wait. It is after 1AM and I turned into a pumpkin an hour ago!

Painting Windows Quick and Easy!

If you ever have the urge to paint windows, don't waste any time putting masking tape around the glass to prevent paint from getting on it. You will only be disappointed with the result. Paint will always seep under the tape or you won't remove the tape soon enough and will pull all the paint of with the tape. Paint them like this:



Then go buy one of these:



It's a widget. You score the paint where it meets the glazing putty and then scrape it off. Of course it helps if the the paint is dry.

I have been replacing sash cords all week when I get a chance. It can be a bit time consuming since I have none that work and have to pull out all the weights and re-thread all the pulleys. I got the three living room windows done last week and the two dining room windows done this weekend. If anyone is interested, I can explain the process of sash replacement. If no-one is interested, well maybe I'll do it any way!

Mid Life Crisis?

Someone once told me that when an American man reaches middle age, he buys a sports car and looks for a younger woman. When an Englishman reaches middle age, he renovates his house. Well I have the best of both worlds! As I approach "middle age" (whatever that is) the first card I get in the mail to remind me is this!

Think of all the money I would save if I spent a whole lot!

Does this mean that I should buy a workshop and finish what I started years ago?

Abducted by Aliens

A funny thing happened today. My blogs went down for three hours this morning. I can't figure what happened. I noticed that the last access was someone in Korea at 10:03 AM then nothing. I couldn't even access the thing myself. I was denied access even through Blogger! Houseblogs.net went down too and were out for even longer.
Now I have to figure out where the three hours went and whether I took an anal probe! Where was Elizabeth during all this? She was protecting herself with the enamel plated steel probe guard. Well, it looks like her dads potty training is sinking in.

Wazzup in the Hood?

Anyone interested in an old home near the "Crack House? This one went up for sale in the last week. The picture was taken last summer.

It has a F.S.B.O. sign in the front yard.

What can I tell you about it? Well, it is on the National Register as the S.N. Brown home (though it isn't the one he lived in). It is brick, 2 story Italianate. Built around 1875 as an add on to an older existing home which I believe to have been the residence of one Augustus George (who married the older sister of the guy who built our house). The old part of the house has to be from the 1830s and is now the kitchen. It needs some work but not a whole lot from what I can tell. The massive Eastlake woodwork has all been stripped and needs shellac. The interior walls were heavily textured before 1920 making the walls look like the sides of a cave. I don't like it but it was likely a trend back then. I know it has at least one marble fireplace like ours. It is on a commercial strip so it can be either a residence or a business and the basement was once a bakery I believe. The address is 1633 Wayne Ave Dayton, Ohio 45410 and you can check it on the public tax records HERE.

I expect they want around $200,000 for it. If anyone is seriously interested let me know and I will drive by and get the phone number to call. It is directly across the street from the S&M Funeral Home. The good news is it is 4 blocks from me. The bad news is, it is 4 blocks from me!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

You're bloody heavy! Please don't fall!



I got tired of moving this mirror from room to room. It must weigh 40 lbs. I think it will be staying here for a long while. The walnut buffet will go against this wall, below the mirror of course!
We must have at least 5 large mirrors. We also have 5 floor lamps. I wonder if it means anything?

Whacky Neighbor Stories

We have some whacky neighbors. They are whacky in a good way. He's the guy who runs out with a camera and takes photos of the prostitutes at the pay phone across the street. He is the radical conservative of the block, if you can have such a thing. She keeps him in check but they are both whacky. These people are the pop culture product that was once the 1970s and 1980s. When they do something it is generally at the extreme end of their options. Case in point, here is a picture from down the street. I have identified their house for you but I suspect you could spot it by yourself.

They haven't done the trim yet so it will look better soon! These people are converting their dining room into a Tiki Bar and have pasted old record album covers over the ceiling of one of their rooms. They use hub caps as wall decoration. Deborah and I found a huge plastic "Burger King" sign that someone put out in the trash. Basically it was one side of the huge ones that light up on the pole that identifies a location. We gave it to these people because it was, well, so "them". I think he hung it on the wall at the top of the stairs and stuck a light behind it.

Here is how they dress at parties.





They have some whacky ideas and have set up a website to promote such. The title of the URL speaks for itself! Check them out and see if you think they are whacky too!

http://bedpanart.com

We have discussed the possibility of buying some other houses in the neighborhood and fixing them up together. I'm beginning to wonder about it though. I mean, when I see a white wall, I wonder what they see.....